Moistureproof container with flexible seal cover



y 1951 N. s. WATERMAN 2,560,376

MOISTUREPROOF CONTAINER WITH FLEXIBLE SEAL COVERS Filed July 25, 1949 INVENTOR ATTORNEY connecting these parts.

Patented July 10, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT oFF-lc-E MQISTUREPROOF CONTAINER WITH FLEXIBLE SEA-LCOVER Neil S. Waterman, Tarrytown. N... Y.

Application July 23, 1949, SerialNo. 106,441

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in moisture-proof transparent containers with flexible seal covers for displaying and holding various objects such as tablets, pills, watches, etc. There are certain tablets and pills which are hygroscopic. These hygroscopic tablets and pills cannot be packaged in tin containers with unsealed covers, and other containers of the type used to hold aspirin tablets, milk of magnesia tablets, etc., because containers of this type are not moisture-proof. Therefore, it is. customary to package hygroscopic tablets and pills in containers. provided with moisture-proof stoppers or caps. It is also customary to place a piece of absorbent cotton in the mouths of such contain ers; to further protect the pills and tablets from moisture.

One of the dominating objects of this invention resides in the construction of a container and cover which inshape bears some resemblance to the usual tin container and cover in so far as they are flat and easily carried in pockets. and purses, but which is moisture-proof. so that it may be used for hygroscopic tablets and pills. Furthermore, it is proposed that said container be constructed of transparent material in order to. also display its contents.

More. particularly, it is proposed to characterize the new container by the fact that it is, or may be, made of rigid material, preferably a rigid type transparent plastic. It is proposed that said container be provided with an open side having an outwardly projecting flange which has, an end portion, or a corner portion, formed with rounded edges and the remaining portion of said flange having square edges. It, is proposed to provide this container with a new flexible seal cover extending across its open side, and said cover having a fairly rigid section formed with a square edge groove engaging said square edge portion of said projecting flange for tightly mounting said cover on said container in a moisture-proof condition. It is further proposed that said cover be provided with a fairly rigid end section, or corner section, formed with a round edge groove engaging upon said rounded edge portion of said projecting flange for releasably An important object of this invention resides in providing said cover with a thin flexible wall portion integral with the corner or end section and the remaining section of the cover for flexibly connecting said sections of the cover together in order that said corner section, or endsection of said cover may 5 Claims. (Cl.v MO -2i) be forced to open said container. It is furthermore proposed that, the inner walls of said grooves extend intov the open side of said container in positive plug fit fashion to moisture seal said container andv cover.

It is; proposed that the flexible seal cover be made. of polyethylene. or other materials which are flexible or flexible at; least in thin sections of about .020. Another such material would be. nylon. 'the seal cover could also be made of rubber. Preferably. the container is made of polystyrene.

It. should be clearly understood that the dommating, objects of this invention are obtained without limiting the container, or the flexible seal cover, to any particular shape, contour, or size.

Another object of the invention is the construction of a device as described which is simple and durable and which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the. following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention: are. more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing. forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a moistureproof container with a flexible seal cover constructed in accordance with this invention.

2 is an end View of Fig. 1.,

Fig. 3 isa fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the bottom portion of. the container as illustrated in Fig. 3, but shown per. se. 7

Fig; 5 is. a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6-. is a plan view of the flexible sea-l cover, perse, this view being taken looking in the direction of the line 6-45 of Fig. 3.

The moisture-proof container with a flexible seal cover, in accordance with this invention, includes a rigid type container Ill preferably formed of polystyrene or other rigid type plastic transparent material, or other rigid material.

This: container ID is provided with an open side H. (see Fig. 4), having a laterally outwardly projecting flange [2. This flange [2 has a corner or end portion 13 formed with rounded edges I14, and the remaining portion l5- of said flange t2: has square top edges I6. In the. particular design of the invention shown. the corner or end thick sections is fairly rigid. However, in sections of .020" and less it is fairly elastic and flexible. Said flexible seal cover 20 is provided with a thick and consequently fairly rigid corner or end section 2| formed with a rounded edge groove 22 engaging upon said rounded edges I4 of said flange l2 and releasably connecting said corner section 2| and flange |2 in moisture-proof condition. Said flexible seal cover 20 is also provided with a fairly rigid section 23 formed with a square edge groove 24 engaging upon said square edges l6 of said flange l2 for tightly mounting the cover 20 upon said container H3 in a moistureproof condition. A thin flexible wall 25 is integral with said sections 2| and 23 of said cover 20 for flexibly connecting said sections 2 I and 23 of said cover 20 together in order that said corner or end section 2| of said cover 20 -may be bent using the flexible wall 25 as a hinge or pivot and forced open. This thin flexible wall 25'is of a thickness of .020 or less so as to be quite flexible. This thin flexible wall 25 is located upon the outer face of the cover 20. The flexible wall 25 is formed at the side portions of the cover 20 by slits 32 extending down from the top face'of the cover to a short distance from the bottom face of the cover 20 and through the side portions of the cover outwards of the outer faces of the grooves 22 and 24 at the junction points of said grooves 22 and 24. A recess 28 is formed downwards of the top face of the cover 20- in the end or corner section 2| and the right side; of said recess is aligned with said slits 32. The central portion of said flexible wall 25 extends'along said right side of said recess 28.

The rigid section 23 is formed with a recess 21 formed upwards from its outer face in order to decrease the mass'of the cover 20. Saidrecess 28 is formed in the inner face of the end, or corner section 2|, for decreasing the mass of the cover 20 and for forming a tray-like opening for supporting one tablet 30 when the section 2| is hinged open. The dot and dash circles in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 indicate tablets 30 housed within the container ID. The inner faces of the grooves 22 and 24 extend into the open side I of said container I0 in positive plug-like fashion for sealing said cover 20 upon said container IS. The inside faces of the container l0 are slightly tapered in order to form a tight fit against the upward projecting inner faces of said grooves 22 and 24. The bottom portions of said grooves 22 and '24 are slightly larger than the portions l4 and I6 of said flange |2, while the top portions of said grooves 22 and 24 are smaller than the thicknesses of the walls of the container If] so that the top portions of said grooves grip the walls of said container along small areas for better sealing the cover 20 upon said container I0; The adjacent faces of the recess 28 and grooves 22 are sufliciently close to form thin walls 34. The points 35 at the ends of said thin walls 34 adjacent the flexible wall 25 stretch" and contract when the end or corner section2l is hinged open.

The operation of the moisture-proof container with a flexible seal cover may be understood from the following:

The end, or corner section 2| of the cover 20 may be forced open by engaging ones thumb upon the projecting edge portion thereof and forcing it downwards. Because the groove 22 has rounded edges engaging the rounded edges |4 of the flange l2 of said container H], the end, or corner section 2 will readily open. The dot and dash lines 2| in Fig. 3 schematically indicate the section 2| in a partially open condition. The section 2| may be bent down to a fully opened condition in which the tablets 30 may be discharged from the container III. The container ||l may be closed by bending the end, or corner section 2| upwards to re-engage it in its original position. Because the flexible seal cover 20 is made from polyethylene or other resilient material, and because the inner faces of the grooves 22 and 24 are a tight fit in the container II], the container It will be moisture-proof. The end or corner section 2| hinges about the wall 25 as 'a pivot. The points 35 of the thin wall 34, adjacent the flexible wall 25, stretch and contract as the end or corner section 2| is hinged open and then closed. 7

The entire flexible seal cover 20 may be removed from the container ID by forcing it off of the flange I2. Conversely, the flexible seal cover 22 may easily be engaged in position on the container IE3 by merely forcing the flange l2 into the grooves 22 and 24. The container l0 may be used to hold and display tablets, pills, watches, and other articles.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United F States Letters Patent is:

1. In a moisture-proof container with a flexible seal cover, a rigid-type container having an open side provided with an outwardly projecting flange having a corner portion formed with rounded edges and the remaining portion of said flange having square edges, and a flexible seal cover for said container extending across said open side and having a fairly rigid section formed with a square edge groove engaging upon said square edges of said flange for tightly mounting said cover on said container, said cover also having a fairly rigid corner section formed with a rounded edge groove engaging upon said rounded edges of said flange for releasably connecting said corner section with said flange, the inner faces of said grooves of said cover extending slightly into said open side of said container in plug fit fashion for positive moisture sealing of said cover upon said container, and a thin flexible wall integral with said sections of said cover for flexibly connecting said sections of said cover together in order that said corner section of said cover may be bent and forced open.

2. In a moisture-proof container-with a flexiible seal cover, a rigid-type container having an open side provided with an outwardly project.- ing flange having a corner portion formed with rounded edges and the remaining portion of said flange having square edges, and a flexible seal cover for said container extending across said open side and having a fairly rigid section formed with a square edge groove engaging upon said square edges of said flange for tightly mounting said cover on said container, said cover also having a fairly rigid corner section formed with a rounded edge groove engaging upon said rounded edges of said flange for releasably connecting said corner section with said flange, the inner faces of said grooves of said cover extending slightly into said open side of said container in plug flt fashion for positive moisture sealing of said cover upon said container, and a thin flexible wall integral with said sections of said cover for flexibly connecting said sections of said cover together in order that said corner section of said cover may be bent and forced open, said thin flexible wall being located at the outer face of said cover and formed by slits in the side portions of said cover and by a recess in the central part of said cover.

3. In a moisture-proof container with a flexible seal cover, a rigid-type container having an open side provided with an outwardly projecting flange having a corner portion formed with rounded edges and the remaining portion of said flange having square edges, and a flexible seal cover for said container extending across said open side and having a fairly rigid section formed with a square edge groove engaging upon said square edges of said flange for tightly mounting said cover on said container, said cover also having a fairly rigid corner section formed with a rounded edge groove engaging upon said rounded edges of said flange for releasably connecting said corner section with said flange, the inner faces of said grooves of said cover extending slightly into said open side of said container in plug fit fashion for positive moisture sealing of said cover upon said container, and a thin flexible wall integral with said sections of said cover for flexibly connecting said sections of said cover together in order that said corner section of said cover may be bent and forced open, said thin flexible wall being located at the outer face of said cover and formed by slits in the side portions of said cover and by a recess in the central part of said cover, and said recess being located in said corner section of said cover and being of a sufficient size to form thin walls between the adjacent faces of said recess and said rounded edge groove, said thin walls being sufliciently thin to be able to stretch and contract when said corner section is bent and forced open and closed.

4. In a moisture-proof container with a flexible seal cover, a rigid-type container having an open side provided with an outwardly projecting flange having a corner portion formed with rounded edges and the remaining portion of said flange having square edges, and a flexible seal cover for said container extending across said open side and having a fairly rigid section formed with a square edge groove engaging upon said square edges of said flange for tightly mounting said cover on said container, said cover also having a fairly rigid corner section formed with a rounded 6 groove engaging upon said rounded edges of said flange for releasably connecting said corner section with said flange, the inner faces of said grooves of said cover extending slightly into said open side of said container in plug fit fashion for positive moisture sealing of said cover upon said container, and a thin flexible wall integral with said sections of said cover for flexibly connecting said sections of said cover together in order that said'corner section of said cover may be bent and forced open, said thin flexible wall being located at the outer face of said cover and formed by slits in the side portions of said cover and by a recess in the central part of said cover, and said recess being located in said corner section of said cover and being of a sufl'icient size to form thin walls between the adjacent faces of said recess and said rounded edge groove, said thin r Walls being sufflciently thin to be able to stretch and contract when said corner section is bent and forced open and closed, and said cover being made of rigid type plastic which is flexible and elastic in thin sections in order that said thin walls are sufficiently flexible for the corner section of said cover to be forced and bent open using said first named thin wall as a hinge.

5. In a moisture-proof container with a flexible seal cover, a rigid-type container having an open side provided with an outwardly projecting flange having a corner portion formed with rounded edges and the remaining portion of said flange having square edges, and a flexible seal cover for said container extending across said open side and having a fairly rigid section formed with a square edge groove engaging upon said square edges of said flange for tightly mounting said cover on said container, said cover also having a fairly rigid corner section formed with a rounded edge groove engaging upon said rounded edges of said flange for releasably connecting said corner section with said flange, the inner faces of said grooves of said cover extending slightly into said open side of said container in plug fit fashion for positive moisture sealing of said cover upon said container, and a thin flexible wall integral with said sections of said cover for flexibly connecting said sections of said cover together in order that said corner section of said cover may be bent and forced open, and the inner faces of said container being tapered inwards in order that said inner faces of said grooves form a better seal for said cover.

NEIL S. WATERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,079,052 Tamini May 4, 1937 2,208,899 Freeman July 23, 1940 2,249,052 Seifert July 15, 1941 2,399,241 Merkle Apr. 30, 1946 2, 87, 00 Tupper Nov. 8, 1949 

